Garment-pad.



SPATENTED JAN. 1, 1907.

' J. 2. MATHIEU.

GARMENT PAD.

APPLICATION FILED MAE.17.1906.

THE NORRIS PETERS c0., WASHINGTON, l7. c4

UNITED STATES PATENT orrron.

Specification of Letters Patent.

I Application filed March 17, 1906. Serial No. 306,561.

Patented Jan. 1, 1907.

. tion.

My invention relates to devices for retaining 1n shape the trousers worn by men havmg abnormal curvature of the lower limbs. With the same object in view pads have been bound upon the limb itself or have been secured to the underwear; but the results are not entirely satisfactory. A pad secured to the limb holds heat, interferes with the circulati on of the blood, is difficult to hold in proper position, and is objectionable, because it receives perspiration and isnot readily kept clean. If a pad be secured to the underwear, which is usually of light goods and often of readily-stretched fabric, it causes the goods to sag and has a strong tendency to move out of the bend of the limb and form a protuberance in some other place; and, further, if upon the outer surface of the drawers the pad whenever the outer garments are removed calls attention to the deformity which it should conceal. I avoid these objections and some others and at the same time secure all the ends desired by securing the upper end of along pad to the inturned edges of the goods at the inner or outer seam of the trousers-leg and providing means for verticallysliding engagement of the lower end of the pad with the same seam, so that if the pad or the goods stretch or shrink no distortion of the pad occurs.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view showing in dotted lines my device attached to the inner seam of a trousers-leg. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the device secured to the outer seam. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the pad detached. Fig. 4 shows the pad in cross-section when attached to the trousers, section being made through the sliding connections near the lower end of the pad. Fig. 5 illustrates one means of securing a sliding attachment of the lower end of the pad to the inwardly-turned cloth at either the inner or outer seam of the trousers-leg.

In the views, A represents the seam of a trousers-leg A and B, a pendent pad having its upper end secured in anysuitable Way-for example, by sewing or detachably by means of a glove-fastener, safety-pin, hook, or the like to the inwardly-turned edges of the cloth at the seam and at a point just above the curve of the limb.

The pad is made up of layers C of cotton fiber or the like, alternating with layers D of mosquito-netting or other light fabric, a few quilting stitches or threads E serving to tie the layers together and prevent the displacement of any part of the cotton, the whole being incased in a covering F, preferably of light silk. At its lower end the pad is provided with a long vertical bar or loop G, which slides freely in a horizontal eye G, secured to the seam or slides, if desired, in the inwardly-turned cloth itself, the latter being perforated to form an eye, as shown in Fig. 5, and the eye G being omitted. The pad is thus suspended from its upper end only, so that stretching or shrinking can have no appreciable effect upon its position and shape, and yet the lower end is prevented from swinging out of place.

The pad is solight that it causes no perceptible distortion of the goods at the point of attachment, and, indeed, the inwardlyturned cloth will sustain a considerable strain before the body of the trousers-leg shows any eflect of thepull.

Obviously the pad is never visible, is easily applied and removed, need never be detached under ordinary circumstances, and eifectually prevents the garment from showing either inward or outward curvature of the limb.

What I claim is 1. In devices of the class described, a long pad of light material having its upper end adapted for attachment to the cloth turned inward at the seam of the trousers-leg and its lower end provided with a device adapted for vertically-sliding engagement with the trousers-leg.

2. The combination with a trousers-leg, of a pendent pad having its upper end fixed to the inner face of the same and its lower end secured to the leg by devices permitting relative vertical movement of the pad and adjacent portion of the garment while preventing its lower end. provided with la g'long vertical lateral displacement of said lower end. loop or bar, substantially as set forth.

3. In devices of the class described, a pad In testimony whereof I affix my signature made up of layers of loose fluffy material in presence of two witnesses.

5 quilted with alternate layers of light fabric JOSEPH Z. MATHIEU.

and inclosed in a close-fitting covering, the Witnesses: whole having its upper end adapted for at- PETER MATHIEU, J12, tachment to the inside of a trousers-leg and CHAS. F. RIsEDoRF 

